Fullerton Shoreline Project meeting

I didn't even know this was being planned, but got a link from ATA:

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/cdot/provdrs/bridge/aler...

Please join the Chicago Department of Transportation, Chicago Park District and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for a meeting to present the Chicago Shoreline Storm Damage Reduction Project near Fullerton Avenue and around the Theater on the Lake.

The project will replace the existing failed revetment with a steel and concrete revetment designed to manage wave attack.  The upland areas will direct any overtopping wave flows safely back to Lake Michigan.

The project includes:

  • 1,700 feet of new revetment, tying into the existing revetment to the north and terminating at the southern end of the northern-most beach cell that is failed.
  • Converting the existing failed beach cell to new parkland, adding approximately 5.8 acres of park space in an area that is regularly congested with park goers.
  • Reusing existing limestone blocks when possible to enhance the architectural park features.

The two-year, $16 million project is expected to start construction in early 2014.

During the construction, the Lakefront trail will be temporarily rerouted on the west side of the Lincoln Park Lagoon.  The Theater on the Lake will remain accessible, but may have limitations on the theater staging area.

The public informational meeting we be:

Thursday, August 22nd

7:00pm - 8:30pm

The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

North Gallery, 2nd Floor

2430 N. Cannon Dr.

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on August 22, 2013 at 3:32pm

I am not a very good reporter, but here is what I remember.  This project is still in the planning stages--final drawings have not been done.  They do plan to go out for bid this fall, however.  In essence they will rebuild the lakefront from just north of the Theater on the Lake south to the point where the beach starts south of Fullerton.  The land will be filled in to add more park and the LFP will be moved east.  The pinch point at Fullerton will be eliminated.  One problem that Alderman Smith alluded to and that a couple of us pointed out to the City representative is that the way it is drawn now does not have good access to the path from Fullerton.  We were told they will take the comments into consideration in making the final plan.

Construction is anticipated to begin in February or March, 2014 and conclude December, 2015.  During construction the path will be rerouted slightly west so that it hugs the theater building.  The last thing that will be finished is the new path.  At the moment there is no plan to separate bikes from pedestrians although some in the audience suggested it would be a good time to do it in light of the planning to redefine the lake shore area in the future.

Tricolor, I know you were there since I saw your bike outside, but since I do not know what you look like I could not say hello.  Please jump in with any corrections or additions.

Also, Alderman Smith (43rd Ward) is supposed to be putting the current drawings up on her web site. The project will be submitted to the City Plan Commission on September 19.

Permalink Reply by Michelle S on August 23, 2013 at 2:43am

Thanks for going and reporting, Lisa. (I have back issues; otherwise I would have gone.) So the press release that said that the LFT would be rerouted to west of the lagoon was incorrect? West of the lagoon would be the crushed limestone path, and that's a big detour.

Lisa Curcio 6.5 mi said:

I am not a very good reporter, but here is what I remember.  This project is still in the planning stages--final drawings have not been done.  They do plan to go out for bid this fall, however.  In essence they will rebuild the lakefront from just north of the Theater on the Lake south to the point where the beach starts south of Fullerton.  The land will be filled in to add more park and the LFP will be moved east.  The pinch point at Fullerton will be eliminated.  One problem that Alderman Smith alluded to and that a couple of us pointed out to the City representative is that the way it is drawn now does not have good access to the path from Fullerton.  We were told they will take the comments into consideration in making the final plan.

Construction is anticipated to begin in February or March, 2014 and conclude December, 2015.  During construction the path will be rerouted slightly west so that it hugs the theater building.  The last thing that will be finished is the new path.  At the moment there is no plan to separate bikes from pedestrians although some in the audience suggested it would be a good time to do it in light of the planning to redefine the lake shore area in the future.

Tricolor, I know you were there since I saw your bike outside, but since I do not know what you look like I could not say hello.  Please jump in with any corrections or additions.

Also, Alderman Smith (43rd Ward) is supposed to be putting the current drawings up on her web site. The project will be submitted to the City Plan Commission on September 19.

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on August 23, 2013 at 2:56am

Yes, the path is going to stay on the east side of Lake Shore Drive.  I forgot to mention that south of Fullerton they are going to move it up to the running path during construction.  On the current renderings it shows the temporary path on the east side of the Theater close to the Theater, hugging it on the south side and then going up to where that path is that they use for detours when the waves are breaking over the current path.

And hope your back is better!
 
Michelle Stenzel said:

Thanks for going and reporting, Lisa. (I have back issues; otherwise I would have gone.) So the press release that said that the LFT would be rerouted to west of the lagoon was incorrect? West of the lagoon would be the crushed limestone path, and that's a big detour.
 

Permalink Reply by Tim S on August 23, 2013 at 3:00am

Hey Lisa, our cub reporter on the scene, will they be filling any part of the lake? ie just south of the Theater where the path runs right along the lake? It looks like they will based on the drawing on the link provided. 

Permalink Reply by Tricolor on August 23, 2013 at 3:28am

Lisa's spot on.  Part of the lake will be filled in.

Red is the new Shoreline; everything inside it will be filled.  Yellow is the lakefront trail with outlets to Fullerton.  The water fountain will be along the main trail.  Orange is an extension of North to form a cul de sac in front of the theater, that will only be open when there's an event warranting its use.

My biggest concern is that the width of the new concrete wall isn't going to match the existing shore that runs up to Irving Park.  The barrier and steps will get progressively narrower as it goes south, ending up a little less than half as wide as the rest of the shoreline.  I worry this will make the new section look tacked on compared to the rest of the waterfront.

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on August 23, 2013 at 3:31am

Yes, Tim, there is going to be quite a lot of filling going on.  The area south will be extended a bit east and it will be filled in from the area where that outdoor restaurant sets up to the beginning of the beach area south of there.  The path will be close to the lake, but not along the lake.  The area along the lake will be like what they have already done north of the Theater.

 

ETA cross posting with Tricolor's excellent illustration. :-)
 
Tim S said:

Hey Lisa, our cub reporter on the scene, will they be filling any part of the lake? ie just south of the Theater where the path runs right along the lake? It looks like they will based on the drawing on the link provided. 

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